


Water That Is The Road

by anirishlullaby



Category: Fringe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-16
Updated: 2014-06-16
Packaged: 2018-02-04 20:53:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1792873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anirishlullaby/pseuds/anirishlullaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short scene that might have been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Water That Is The Road

Slowly, she opened her eyes. 

And upon doing so, it didn’t take long at all for – who was she? – to realize that she had absolutely no idea where she was. Or, as vaguely indicated, who she was to begin with. 

But there was someone with her. 

As her eyes blinked out the sun [quite literally, as the sky darkened with each process of opening and closing her lids] she tilted her head, neck cracking loudly, in order to catch a better glimpse of him without imposing. 

He was old. 

The man’s skin was weathered, but had also acquired a look of wisdom. 

“Yes?” It was almost a whisper, surreal, but she heard him. 

Yes. That was all he said. 

“Who are you?” She spoke the question quietly; with hesitance. 

Then she paused, second guessing the question. 

“Actually, who are we?” She bit her lower lip, anxious for the answer. 

The old man smiled down, and reached out to touch her hair – it was blond and laid flat well past her shoulders – but she stepped away instinctively. 

He winced. 

Guilt wrapped itself around where his shaking hand would have landed, but she – whoever she was – needed answers before she could trust this. 

Whatever this was. 

A long road stretched out before them, with dust that just barely settled on its ground. The effect was haunting, and though it wasn’t necessarily cold (was there weather here, wherever here might be? It was hard to tell) – she shivered suddenly as if it was. 

“This road will tell us,” the old man said mysteriously.

“That’s not exactly an answer,” she responded. 

“No, it’s not,” he agreed.   
“This place confuses things, my dear – for it is the in-between of time. It’s the gap between who we were and who we are.” 

“That makes no sense.” 

She furrowed a brow, confused – like anyone else in this situation was guaranteed to be. 

“From my all too fuzzy knowledge, you are Henrietta Bishop – or Etta, as you adorably prefer,” the man said. 

Etta nodded. 

It didn’t make sense, but as soon as the name reached her ears, things slowly started becoming a bit clearer and the sky lightened ever so slightly. 

The road still looked long. 

“And you are?” 

“Me? Well… I was never even especially sure about that in the present, my dear – but, ah yes. I’m Walter Bishop, I’m very fond of LSD; but more importantly, I’m your grandfather.” 

Etta saw the pride that suddenly inhibited the depths of this old man’s eyes, and found that she couldn’t help but blush. 

Her cheeks felt warm, and she looked down at the road that suddenly seemed to be in motion. It rippled like water underneath the wind. 

“And what are we doing here, exactly?” 

This was, perhaps, the question she should have started with. 

“Ah,” said Walter. 

“I’m not sure.” He continued. 

“I was trying to remember while I waited for you to get here, at first I thought our hands had slipped away from each other, but alas you are here – you found your way somehow. I think you get that from your father.” 

“My father?” 

“My son. Peter. He always found his own way – never needed my help.” 

Etta smiled softly, though she did not understand. 

“So, now what?” She asked. Her question still hadn’t been answered. 

“Oh, right. Now,” Walter started. 

“I think we should just follow this road.” 

Suddenly he frowned, looking down at said road. 

“It’s moving?” 

“Looks like,” Etta answered – not sure whether it had really been a question or not. But it was there and something that she had noticed also; it was puzzling to say the least. 

“Hmm, you didn’t happen to have any LSD before we got here? That was my best answer for this. Oh well. We’re still standing, anyway. Walk with me?” 

At that Walter held out his hand again, not trying to touch her hair without permission this time. 

Etta smiled lightly, somehow allowing herself to ignore the strangeness of the situation that they faced.

At least she had a friend. 

Or, as it were, a friend and a grandfather in one. 

She look is had, and he grinned simply but deeply. 

“Let’s go,” she said, feigning confidence. 

“Onwards,” Walter responded in turn. 

And so the road continued. 

On and on until the end of times. Into the future, that would become their present, and to a family that would never let reality get in the way.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [a challenge](http://card-writing.livejournal.com/1282.html) over at [gameofcards](gameofcards.livejournal.com) on livejournal.


End file.
